Method and apparatus for weaving pile fabrics



July 25,l 1950 R. J. JACKSON Y 2,516,465

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING PILE FABRICS original Filed Jan. 24, 1947 2 sheds-Sheet 1 hwenvr:

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 25, 1950 R. J. JAcKsoN uETHoD AND APPARATUS Foa wEAvING PILE FABRICS original Filed Jan. 24, 1947 ii'umeg Invenzm' ycoo OOIO 000x000 Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED STATES VPATENT GFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING PILE FABRICS Original application January 24, 1947, Serial No.

Divided and this application November 13, 1947, Serial N0. 785,640

Claims. (Cl. 139-39) This invention relates to a. method and apparatus for weaving pile fabrics, particularly tapestry and velvet carpets and rugs, on a wire loom.

A principal object of this invention is to produce on the surface of the fabric high and low pile loops which may be arranged in rows in warpwise and weftwise relation to each other in any pattern desired.

An important feature of this invention is the employment in a wire loom of sets of two or more pile wires having high and low portions so placed as to produce the pattern desired.

Other objects and features will apear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a side view of a pile wire of a set of pile wires;

Fig. 1A is a side view of a modification of the wire shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a warpwise diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the fabric with some of the pile wires inserted;

Fig. 3 is the same View as in Fig. 2 after one of the wires has been withdrawn;

Fig. 4 is the same view as in Fig. 3 after another wire has been withdrawn;

Fig. 5 is a diagram of a weave produced with a repeat set of four wires.

Any known form of pile wire loom, such as that described in Patent No. 1,840,856, may be employed in the application of my invention.

A preferred weave of a common type is illustrated in Figs. 2 4, in which I'I represents the stuier warps, I9 the binder warps, i8 the holding weft shots above the stufer warps and I 8' the weft shots below those warps. I6 are the pile warps which are strong enough to render without breaking under a holding weft shot when pulled by the high portion of a wire as will be described. The sections shown in Figs. 2-4 show the high portions of some wires and the low portions of others.

The wires are formed with high and low portions according to the pattern of high and low warp loops desired. Fig. 1 shows such a wire.

and low portion i3d is at the outer selvage. The low portions may be of any number and length. The high portions of the wires may be of the same or different heights and the low portions of the wires may be of the same or diiferent heights. The inclines I5, I5a, I5b and I5c, on that side of the high portions in the direction of the withdrawal of the pile wire, are of the proper slope, not over 75, to raise the loops formed over the low portions of the wire to the height of the high portions as the wire is withdrawn.

Fig. iA shows a pile wire I I', which diiers from the wire il of Fig. 1 in the omission of the high portion I0. It has portions Ita' and Ild' extending where the selvages of the fabric are to be located. In the case where the pile warps are wound on the usual warp beam, the height of the portions i3d and i3d' is such that the same lengths of pile warps are drawn over these portions as over the other portions of the wires in a repeat set.

I prefer to weave the fabric on a loom provided with the usual warp beam. In such case the shapes of the wires in a repeat set to impart a 5 given pattern are such that every pile warp is of the same length as it passes over the high portions and the low portions of a set of wires. To secure this eiiect the sums of the heights of the portions of a set of wires warpwise are the same.

iii) Thus every pile warp is drawn` evenly from the warp beam without variation in length.

If, however, the wires are used on a loom provided with spools on which the pile warps are wound, the shapes of the wires are not so limited,

because the drawoil of the pile warps need not be 40 weft threads I8 and I 8' and binder warps i9.

This wire may have a high portion I0 at the In Fig. 2, a pile wire has already been withdrawn from under loop i6 and pile wires Ila, iIb, llc, iid and IIe are under loops ISA, IIB, ISC, IBD and ISE respectively. All loops of the weftwise row on which the loop I6' is located are high, having been either looped over high portions of the wire under loop I6' or raised by such portions of said wire as it was withdrawn. g

In Fig. 3, the pile wire I Ia, Fig. 2, has been withdrawn forming the high loop IBA which has been raised from a low loop, Fig. 2, by one of the high portions of the wire IIa. The yarn to give the loop IBA its increased height was drawn from the previous loop I6', which was high, but is now drawn low.

In Fig. 4, the pile wire Hb, Fig. 3, has been withdrawn leaving the loop l 6B, which was looped over a high portion of the wire I Ib, high; and, as said loop was originally high, it does not draw yarn from the previous loop IBA which consequently remains high.

Fig. is a diagrammatic illustration of the effect of a repeat set of four wires a, b, c, and d on pile warps taken from a warp beam so that the lengths of the warps woven over the wires of the set are the same. The wire a at the top of the figure may be assumed to be the leading wire. When itis withdrawn it leaves all the loops high in row A. When the next wire b is withdrawn the loops over its high portions do not change the loops in row A but the low loops over the low portions of wire b are raised by the withdrawal of the wire and draw from the high loops of the same warps in row A and reduce their height. The result is that the loops in row A correspond in height to the heights of the corresponding portions of wire b. The high loops are indicated by crosses and the low loops by small circles in Fig. 5.

When the wire b is withdrawn it leaves all the loops in row B high and when the wire c is withdrawn it reduces the height of the loops of row B the warps of which pass over the low portions of wire c, etc. The pattern of the rows of high and low loops, both warpwise and weftwise, is shown by the rows of crosses and small circles and corresponds to the arrangement of the high and low portions of the wires in the set.

As an example, Fig. 5 illustrates a repeat set of four wires. A repeat set may include any desired number of wires. If the warps are wound on a warp beam the lengths of the warps woven over the wires of a repeat set should be the same. If the warps are wound on separate spools the lengths of the warps in a repeat set need not be the same.

A11 loops in the weftwise row are high when a wire in that row is withdrawn. The loops which pass over a low portion of a wire are raised by the high portions of the wire as it is withdrawn and draw down the loops in the same warpwise rows in the preceding wei'twlse row; but 'the loops which pass over the high portion of the withdrawn wire leave the high loops in the preceding weftwise row high.

In the foregoing I have described the application of my invention to a fabric in which there are two sets of binder warps which cross each other, but my invention is applicable to a fabric in which there is a single set of binder warps. In one form of such a weave the upper weft shots may be the holding weft shots around which the pile warps are looped. In another form of such weave with a single set of binder warps the lower weft shots may be the holding weft shots around which the pile warps are looped to form a pattern on the back of the fabric. In the latter case the fabric should be so woven that the pile loops may be drawn down around the lower weft shots when a pile warp, which has been woven over a low portion of the succeeding wire, is raised bythe withdrawal of that wire. My invention is also applicableto a Jacquard weave in which there are areas in which a pile warp is raised to the surface for a series of consecutive loops. -In such case, as in the application of my invention to other weaves, such a series of pile loops may include two or more high loops in succession. My invention is applicable to any fabric in which may be formed a pattern of high and low pile warp loops which corresponds to the high and low portions of a set of wires.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 723,965, filed January 24, 1947.

I claim:

l. The method of weaving on a wire loom a pile fabric iioor covering having a repeat pattern formed of groups of high and low pile loops which comprises inserting a set of wires each of which has an upper surface composed of a plurality of high portions and of low portions between the high portions, weaving pile warps over high and low portions of said wires, forming a row having pile loops of a uniform height corresponding to the height of said high portions by withdrawing a wire, and forming said row of pile loops with high and low loops corresponding to high and low portions of a succeeding wire by leaving high the loops of the pile warps passing over high portions of said succeeding wire and drawing down to low the loops of the pile warps passing over low portions of said succeeding wire by withdrawing said succeeding wire, whereby the fabric is provided with a pattern of pile loops of diil'erent heights corresponding to high and low portions of said set of wires.

2. The method of weaving on a pile wire loom a pile fabric iioor covering having a warp pile face including high and low pile elements arranged in a repeat pattern which comprises inserting into a shed a pile wire having high portions and an intervening low portion, weaving a pile warp over one of said high portions to form a high loop and weaving another pile warp over said low portion to form a low loop, inserting into a subsequent shed a pile wire having a high por-` tion in warpwise alignment with said low portion, weaving said last-mentioned warp over said lastmentioned high portion, withdrawing said firstmentioned pile wire to change said low loop to a high loop, and withdrawing said second-mentioned pile wire while'maintaining said high loop high.

3. In a pile wire carpet loom adapted to produce a pile fabric having a surface composed of groups of loops of diilerent heights arranged in a repeat pattern and having means for inserting pile wires into the shed, removing them from the woven fabric and reinserting them into the shed in regular order, the combination therewith of a set of pile wires including a pile wire having horizontal high loop-forming portions, an intervening horizontal low loop-forming portion and a loop-raising portion connecting the low loopforming portion to an adjacent high loop-forming portion, the arrangement of said loop-forming portions of different heights in the set oi wires corresponding to the arrangement of the loops of different heights in said pattern.

4. A set of pile wires for use in a pile wire carpet loom adapted to produce a pile carpet having pile loops of different heights arranged in rows in a repeat pattern and having means for inserting pile wires into the shed, removing them from the woven fabric and reinserting them into the shed in regular order, said set `of pile wires comprising a plurality of pile wires having horizontal loop-forming portions of different heights at different lengthwise positions on the wire including a horizontal low loopforming portion between two horizontal high loop-forming portions, and a loop-raising portion connecting said low loop-forming portion to an adjacent high loop-forming portion, the locations 0f said loop-forming portioms of diil'erent heights in the assembly of the wires corresponding to the locations of the loops of different heights in said pattern.

5. A set of pile wires adapted to be used in a wire loom to produce a pile oor covering having a repeat surface pattern composed of groups of high and low pile loops, said set including flat wires having upper edge surfaces composed of a plurality of high portions, low portions between high portions and inclined loop-raising portions connecting low portions to adjacent high portions, the relative positions of said high portions and low portions in the assembly of the wires corresponding to the relative positions of high and low loops in said pattern, and a high portion of one of the wires being disposed in alignment with a low portion of another wire.

6. The method of weaving on a wire loom a pile fabric floor covering having a warp pile face comprising high and low pile loops which comprises inserting into the shed a pile wire having high and low portions, weaving pile warps over said high and low portions to form a weftwise row of high and low pile loops corresponding to the high and low portions of said pile wire, inserting into the shed a second pile wire having high and low portions, weaving the pile warps over said high and low portions on said second pile wire to form a, succeeding weftwise row of high and low pile loops corresponding to the high and low portions of said second pile wire, converting low loops of said iirst-mentioned row to high loops by withdrawing said iirst-mentioned pile wire, and converting high loops of said rstmentioned row in pile warps woven over low portions of said second pile wire to low loops, while maintaining high loops of said first-mentioned row high in pile warps woven over high portion of said second pile wire, by withdrawing said second pile wire, whereby said first-mentioned row is formed with high and low loops corresponding to the high and low portions of said second pile wire.

7. The method of weaving on a pile wire loom a pile fabric floor covering having a warp pile face including high and lowpile elements which comprises inserting a pile wire having high 'and low portions, weaving a pile warp over a high portion of said wire to form a high loop, inserting a second pile wire having high portions and an intervening low portion in warpwise alignment with said high portion of the first-mentioned pile wire, weaving said warp over said low portion, withdrawing said rst-mentioned pile wire, and changing said high loop to a low loop by withdrawing said second pile wire.

8. The method of weaving on a wire loom a pile fabric floor covering having a warp pile face comprising high and low pile loops which comprises inserting into a shed a pile wire having high vand low portions, weaving pile warps over high and low portions of said pile wire to form a weftwise row of high and low pile loops corresponding to high and low portions of said pile wire, inserting into a subsequent shed another pile Wire having high and low portions, weaving at least some of said pile warps over high and low portions on said second-mentioned pile wire to form a weftwise row of high and low pile loops corresponding to high and low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, converting low loops of said mst-mentioned row to high loops by withdrawing said rst-mentioned pile wire, and converting high loops of said first-mentioned row in pile warps woven over low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire to low loops, while maintaining high loops of said first-mentioned row high in pile warps woven over high portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, by withdrawing said second-mentioned pile wire, whereby said first-mentioned row is formed with high and low loops corresponding to high and low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire.

9. The method of weaving on a wire loom a pile fabric floor covering having pile warps interwoven with a woven backing and a pile face comprising portions of the pile warps projecting to dierent heights above the backing, which comprises inserting a pile wire into a shed, weaving pile warps over said pile wire to form a weftwise row of pile loops, inserting into a subsequent shed a pile wire having high and Alow portions, weaving at least some of said last-mentioned pile warps over high and low portions on said secondmentioned pile wire to form aweftwise row of high and low pile loops corresponding to high and low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, withdrawing said first-mentioned pile wire, and reducing the height of portions of the pile warps of said first-mentioned row in pile warps woven over low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, while maintaining high portions of the pile warps of said first-mentioned row high in pile warps woven over high portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, by withdrawing said second-mentioned pile wire, wherebysaid rstmentioned row is formed with high and low portions of the pile warps corresponding to high and low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire.

10. The method of weaving on a wire loom a pile fabric floor covering having pile warps interwoven with a woven backing and a pile face comprising portions of the pile warps projecting to diierent heights above the backing, which comprises inserting a series of pile wires having high and low portions, weaving pile warps over high and low portions of said pile wires to form weftwise rows of high and low pile loops corresponding to high and low portions of said pile wires, withdrawing the wire from a row to convert low portions of the pile warps of said row to high portions, and simultaneously convert high porv tions of the pile warps of a preceding row in pile warps woven over low portions of said last-mentioned pile wire to low portions, while maintaining high portions of the pile warps of said preceding row high in pile warps woven over high portions of said last-mentioned pile wire, whereby said preceding row is formed with high and low pile warp portions corresponding to high and low portions of said last-mentioned pile wire.

11. The method of weaving on a wire loom a pile fabric floor covering having a warp pile face comprising high and low pile loops which comprises inserting into a shed a pile wire having at least one high portion, weavingv pile warps over l said pile wire to form a weftwise row of pile loops,

inserting into a subsequent shed a pile wire having high and low portions, weaving at least some of said pile warps over high and low portions on said second-mentioned pile wire to form a weftwise row of high and low pile loops corresponding to high and low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, withdrawing said first-mentioned pile wire leaving high loops in said rstmentioned row, and converting high loops of said rst-mentioned row in pile warps woven over low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire to low loops, while maintaining high loops of said rstmentioned row high in pile warps woven over high portions oi said second-mentioned pile wire,

by withdrawing said second-mentioned pile wire, whereby said iirst-mentioned row is formed with high and low loops corresponding tc high and low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire.

12. The method of weaving on a wire loom a pile fabric floor covering having pile warps interwoven with a woven backing and a pile face comprising portions of the pile warps projecting to different heights above the backing, which comprises inserting into a shed a pile wire having a high portion extending the full width of the shed, weaving pile warps over the high portion of said pile wire to form a weftwise row of high pile loops corresponding to the high portion of said pile wire, inserting into a subsequent shed a pile wire having high and low portions, weaving at least some of said last-mentioned pile warps over high and low portions on said second-mentioned pile wire to form a weftwise row of high and low pile loops corresponding to high and low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, withdrawing said mst-mentioned pile wire leaving all of the portions of the pile in said mst-mentioned row high, and reducing the height of portions of the pile warps of said first-mentioned row in pile warps woven over low portions of said secondmentioned pile wire, While maintaining high portions of the pile warps of said mst-mentioned row high in pile Warps woven over high portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, by withdrawing said second-mentioned pile wire, whereby said first-mentioned row is formed with high and low portions of the pile warps corresponding to high and low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire.

13. The method of weaving on a wire loom a pile fabric iloor covering having a pattern formed of high and low pile loops which comprises inserting a set of Wires each of which has an upper surface having a plurality of high portions and low portions and wherein the sums of the heights of the high and low portions warpwise of the set of wires are equal, weaving pile warps over high and low portions of said wires, forming a row having pile loops of a uniform height corresponding to the height of said high portions by withdrawing a wire, and forming said row of pile loops with high and low loops corresponding to high and low portions of a succeeding wire by leavingV high the loops of the pile warps passing over high portions of said succeeding wire and drawing down to low the loops of the pile warps passing over low portions of said succeeding wire by withdrawing said succeeding wire, whereby the fabric is provided with a pattern of pile loops of different heights corresponding to high and low portions of said set of wires.

14. 'Ihe method of weaving on a wire loom a pile fabric floor covering having pile warps interwoven with a woven backing and a pile face comprising portions of the pile warps projecting to different heights above the backing, which comprises inserting into a shed a pile wire having a high portion at its inner end beyond the shed, Weaving pile warps over said pile wire to form a weftwise row of pile loops, inserting into a subsequent shed a pile wire having high and low portions, weaving at least some oi' said last-mentioned pile warps over high and low portions oi said second-mentioned pile wire to form a weftwise row of high and low pile loops corresponding to high and low portions of said second-men.- tioned pile Wire, converting low loops of said rstmentioned row to high loops by withdrawing said first-mentioned pile wire, and reducing the height of portions of the piie warps of said rst-mentioned row in pile Warps woven over low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, while maintaining high portions of the pile warps of said rst-mentioned row high in pile warps woven over high portions of said second-mentioned pile wire, by withdrawing said second-mentioned pile wire, whereby said first-mentioned row is formed with high and low portions of the pile warps corresponding to high 'and low portions of said second-mentioned pile wire.

15. The method of weaving on a pile wire loom a pile fabric oor covering having a Warp pile face including high and low pile elements which comprises inserting into a shed a pile wire having high and low portions, weaving a pile warp over a low portion of said wire to form a low loop, weaving another pile warp over a high portion of said wire to form a high loop, inserting into a subsequent shed a pile wire having high portions and an intervening low portion in warpwise alignment with the last-mentioned high portion of the :first-mentioned pile wire, weaving said secondmentioned warp over said low portion of said second-mentioned pile wire, withdrawing said firstmentioned pile wire, and changing said high loop to a low loop by withdrawing said second-mentioned pile wire.

ROBERT J. JACKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 2,164,090 Shuttleworth June 27, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 124,848 France June 14, 1878 451,065 France Feb. 1, 1913 

